Of All the Gin Joints in All the World
by cafenera
Summary: What did Riley do after finding out that Buffy died?


Title: All the Gin Joints in the World  
  
Author: chamomile chick  
  
Show: Buffy the Vampire Slayer/Angel  
  
Rating: PG  
  
Spoilers: Gift/ Riley leaves  
  
Summary: Post-Gift Riley angst.  
  
POV: Figure it out yourself :)  
  
Author's note: I wrote this a LONG time ago and kind of forgot  
  
about it until now...  
  
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He wandered into the bar one night, just as a Gaia demon warbled  
the last few lines of that damn Titanic song. Looking a little  
uncomfortable, like he wasn't used to the jeans he was in, he  
nonetheless walked in and sat down at the bar.  
  
I'd been watching the comings and goings, and I thought he was  
lost, one of those human tourists who like to enter the first  
bar they come to, thinking it's adventurous or something. I  
can't tell you how many of those I've eaten over the years.  
He just had that look about him. You know,  
first-time-in-a-big-city, fresh-off-the-farm?  
  
But something about the way he sat down and ordered a pretty   
impressive drink from Raul told me there was more to him. That,   
and the fact that he didn't flinch when a Vulkar demon tried  
to hit on him.  
  
"You know, have anymore of that, and you won't get home alive."  
  
I figured he deserved that much after the way he fended off the slut.  
  
"Thanks, but I don't need help from a vampire." Short and  
to the point.  
  
"Hey, look who you're calling names, already," I protested.  
It was just friendly advice, even if I would've drained him in a  
second anywhere else. "Besides, how'd you know?"  
  
"Spidey-sense." He said. I guess it was some kind of joke,  
because he smiled.  
  
At my questioning look, "You give off vibes. Bad vibes.  
Enough that I wish you would go away now."  
  
Uh oh. They guy had the whole Batman attitude. Holier-than-thou  
and defender of all that is good and wholesome and fuzzy. Still,  
something intrigued me. "So what was it? A girl?" When I didn't  
get a response, I tried again. "A guy?"  
  
Surprised, he looked at me for the first time. I did notice that  
his eyes went lower than they should have. Maybe he wasn't as  
innocent as he seemed. "A girl. Not that it's any of your business."  
  
We sat for a moment. He had a few more drinks. So did I. I  
did notice that he grimaced a little when I asked if I could  
have some vodka in my A-positive. Then again, I don't know  
how humans can handle solid food. Guess it shows my age that  
I don't really remember how I ate before my undead life began.  
  
"You know, you think you know someone," He began, startling me out  
of my not-so-deep thoughts.  
  
"Bad breakup?" I pushed a little.  
  
"You could say that." He replied. "I'm not sure of how we even  
happened. My fault, and now she's dead."  
  
I was surprised. So the boy scout had some nerve to him. Hmm...  
  
I guess I must've made some sound, cause he looked at me. "Not  
like that! I mean, I didn't do it. I just wasn't there to stop it."  
  
I sat back, disappointed. Guess maybe he wouldn't be worth turning  
after all.  
  
He went on. No particulars. Guess he wanted to preserve the lady's  
honor. How come all the good ones are alive?  
  
Don't answer that.  
  
I got the general picture. So they loved each other, she stopped,  
he noticed. He left, still loving her. Classic. Seen it over and  
over, minus the addiction part. He didn't seem like a druggie to me,  
and something didn't quite fit, but I let it go. Anyway, he came back  
from abroad and called up some friends in town, and finds out she's  
dead. Sad, but I've heard worse.  
  
Either way, he was stoned drunk.  
  
"Come'n." I said. "I'll walk you home."  
  
Drunk or not, he wasn't falling for it that easily. "Ha. Thanks,  
but I can get a cab to the motel myself.  
  
Damn. I laid it on. "You think I could listen to your life's story  
then kill you in cold blood? That's not the way we work, you know."  
  
I lied, hoping he didn't know that much about vampires. "You can  
come to my place. We could -" I waited a beat for emphasis. "Hang  
out. Just a guy and a girl."  
  
He looked me up and down for a second, then agreed with a nod.  
I helped him pour himself off his stool and out the door, avoiding  
looks from the green guy singing on stage. Guess he's against interracial  
dating or something. We entered the alleyway outside the bar, and I  
continued to help him along.  
  
Before we reached the streetlight, I tugged him to a stop. "You know  
what would make this more fun?"  
  
The boy turned to me, the alcohol gone from his eyes. "You know," he  
replied, "I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to hear you say  
that." I felt a slight push at my front, and the last thing I heard  
was; "You're right. That was a lot more fun."  
  
The End  
  



End file.
